Being an atheist is a challenge in some African countries and traditions. Most of our traditions are more strongly affected by foreign religions than our traditional ones, which in some areas are almost already eradicated.

I am married to a fellow atheist, but we were forced to be married in a Christian church a year later by priest as a good way of securing my partner's job.

Holidays must be enjoyed somehow for I live in a religious dominated society. I must visit some friends who are enjoying religious holiday for it is a good time they are available in their homes, I need their companionship as a social being for I live in a society with almost no fellow atheists

Raising kids as an atheist without taking them to church, can lead to some problems if not well taken care of. All of the schools in my area are owned by religious organizations, even those privately owned fight hard to run them religiously so as to meet customer requirements – believing parents.

In my area, and my country in general, churches are established in daily life through songs, music, preaching, and talking in tongues which is heard daily even during the night and involving those who don’t want to be involved.

Sundays my older son demands to be escorted to a church building. What a challenge! I remember I was a very good churchgoer in my childhood and no one could bind me from that, how can I stop my son from this? I am forced to accompany him there.

Although I will accompany my children to church, I will never fail to tell them the reality of religion and beliefsI don’t see any problem with expressing religion as a business for low-minded and fearsome human beings and that it is a social thing that has replaced African social way of life and a business for intelligent preachers.

Sex before marriage or after marriage? My children should know that they should never indulge themselves into sexual behaviors before the right time. But what is the right time? When they feel they are ready and choose for themselves. T,his doesn’t in any way involve marriage. I actually believe in sex before marriage for I went through this and it taught me a lot for choosing a life partner.

Marriage ceremonies are a challenge. Our societies are imbibed in either religious or cultural ways of celebrating marriages, so one of them must be adhered to. Here is when an atheist is challenged to reflect on some belief systems, however, creativity may bring about other ways of doing it.

When a loved one dies, it is a matter of burying their body somewhere. If the deceased had some wishes, then he/she must arrange some things to make sure that those wishes will be carried out ceremony. Or if there are people interested like fellow religious followers of the deceased, they are allowed to come to my home and perform their rituals as long as they don’t cost me anything

Any book I can own will be in my home, and my family photos will be appreciated on my wall, otherwise, no religious photos or symbols will be found there

I have a female friend who is courted to a born again Christian, she is forced to obey and walk with him to church halls, she complains of being bored there but there is nothing she can do for she is in love with a believer. Going to church is not only a human action but a Godly/heavenly one to her husband to be.

- Kamala J Lutatinisibwa